Posts Tagged ‘Total Divas’

WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently caught up with his favorite cheekbones in the business of professional wrestling, WWE Superstar Becky Lynch. Among many other things, Lynch talked about whether she had been approached about being a Total Divas cast member, why she does not date within WWE, and being in a good place in her professional wrestling career.

According to Lynch, there was a conversation about having her join the cast of Total Divas when she first made her way up to WWE’s so-called main roster; however, like the rest of WWE’s Four Horsewomen, ‘Straight Fire’ never became a Total Divas regular.

“When I first got on the road, there was a conversation about [being a Total Divas cast member].” Lynch continued, “for me, I don’t think that is in my future. I appreciate what it [has] done for the other girls, but I think I would like to keep my real life separate to [pro] wrestling and I just don’t foresee me on any sort of reality TV show.”

Additionally, during the podcast, Lynch shared that she does not date within WWE, as she wants to keep her professional life “drama-free”.

“Do you know what? I think that’s one thing, that again, I’ve always wanted especially because you’re going to be around these people all the time. And, like, I would like to keep that separate from my own personal life and I feel like everyone ends up becoming like a family member. Do you know what I mean? Like, a brother or whatever and I just want to keep my work life so drama-free, so however I can do that, I can go in, not have any awkwardness with anybody, not have any fights.” Lynch added, “everything’s about the work.”

In Lynch’s view, she has finally put the pieces together and feels as though she has come to a good place in her pro wrestling odyssey.

“I feel like there was just some stuff in my own life I had to break through.” Lynch divulged, “and I feel like once I did that, everything just felt like it started flowing a lot better and my career felt like it got better. I just felt like, ‘yeah.’ I just feel like it’s just coming together and I really know myself a lot better now, more than I ever have. And I feel more confident than I ever have in my ability and going out there. I also love SmackDown. I really love SmackDown. And I love the show, and I love what we’ve got going on, and I love the locker room. I just really want to put everything into it to make it an entertaining show. And luckily, I’ve got the backing of the writers, and producers, and management right now to be able to go and do some great stuff. And it [has] been a lot of fun. Yeah, I feel really lucky and I’m looking forward to seeing where this storyli

Initially, Peopleran an article that John Cena called off the wedding due to getting cold feet, but another source told People it was Nikki who decided to pull the plug.

“John acted more and more like he was doing her a favor by somehow conceding to go ahead and marry her,” the source said. “[Nikki] doesn’t need a pity proposal, a pity wedding, a pity husband. She’s a phenomenal, tremendous woman.”

Thanks to Total Divas and Total Bellas it’s well documented Cena wasn’t crazy about marriage, or having kids, which was another sticking point that ultimately Nikki wasn’t going to go along with.

“When [Cena] proposed, he convinced [Bella] that he was a changed man. And if he can change his mind about never wanting to get married, why wouldn’t he change his mind about not wanting kids? They have had an on and off relationship for years,” the source said. “It’s no secret that they didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, but, when you’re in love, you turn a blind eye. And that’s what Nikki did. When Nikki changed her stance about wanting kids, everyone knew that wasn’t her. You can’t take motherhood away from a woman.”

The couple was together since 2012 and sent out a statement on Sunday to Us Weekly about separating.

“While this decision was a difficult one, we continue to have a great deal of love and respect for one another. We ask that you respect our privacy during this time in our lives.”

The WWE creative team, not knowing how she will enter WrestleMania yet:

“Our creative team is awesome. They always take our suggestions for entrances. We always try to work with them because sometimes they have some ideas for us or sometimes there are no ideas at all. So, we just have to mesh together and be open to suggestions on both ends. Our creative teams and writing teams are always great about that.”

The build with Jax:

“It has been a very real road with Nia. We both have struggled with image issues in the past. So, it’s a very real subject that we are bringing to light with mine and Nia’s story. I think because it’s an actual issue, people can relate. There are people who are bullied or are bullies.

“I think it’s one of those things that people are going to be invested in our story because it’s real and there is real emotion behind it. People know that me and Nia up to this point were best friends, which they’ve seen through Monday Night Raw and Total Divas. Now our storyline is more personal; I think that is what getting people into what we are doing.”

Ronda Rousey in WWE:

“I’ve always said that if anyone can legitimize the fan’s perception of what we do, I think it’s Ronda. Everyone knows she has made a name for herself in UFC and had this division built around her. She has done all these amazing things, but to see her train and struggle and do the grind of what we do, I think it gives people more appreciation for what we do. For many, Ronda is it. I think it’s great that we have her, and I think it’s what our ‘Women’s Revolution’ needs.”

WWE superstar and Tough Enough alum Many Rose was recently a guest on Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia. During the interview, Rose discussed her contentious relationship with Tough Enough winner Sara Lee.

Rose finished as runner-up to Lee based on fan voting, but eventually she was given a developmental deal by WWE. During their season, Rose constantly belittled Lee for her lack of passion for wrestling. Rose said she knows she came off as a mean-spirited person, which she is not. She said she was playing up her role as “mean girl” for the sake of the cameras.

“It was rough because honestly, I remember, it’s one thing when you are living together, but I felt really bad that I even said some of the stuff I did on national television, but she is a really sweet person, and I got along with her fine when the cameras were off, but that fakeness, because it’s like, I can be so mean to you on camera, but she never said anything to me or addressed the issue,” Rose said. “She is very quiet, she didn’t want any of that, but inside it just didn’t feel right. I thought that I wasn’t this type of person, but I was so wrapped up in it and thought that it is what it is. I went with it, but I felt really bad, even towards the end of the show. I don’t see her as much, but we talk here and there, but she never confronted me about it, which I was surprised, because if I was her, behind those cameras I would have.”

In addition to her developmental deal, Rose was placed on Total Divas. She said that is part of the reason why she doesn’t regret how she was portrayed on Tough Enough. More importantly, she said she learned from her experience and it allowed her to be more of herself.

“She ended up winning and I ended up in second place. I still ended up getting a contract, and was put on Total Divas,” Rose said. “In my head I was like, oh, I must have done something right because they see something and see a reality star, so I thought I did something right, that is why I say that I don’t regret anything, and I learned for sure, but I didn’t have to be influenced by people to show who I am, but I also thought, well, I did get signed any way and got this great opportunity to be on Total Divas, and got this great exposure.”

Rose did have to endure some backlash for her casting on Total Divas. As an inexperienced wrestler, many believed she was placed on the reality show based on her good looks. Rose said she worked hard to look the way she does and she wants people to know nothing was ever handed to her.

“It’s almost like, I don’t like to do things for that reason, because I was told that a lot of girls aren’t going to like me, and I was like, well, that’s great. It’s one thing where you have to do you, and it’s the kind of business we are in unfortunately,” she said. “But it’s also like, no, I want people to like me and I want a long career in this business, and I want to have a name that people can respect because I know respect is huge here, and I felt like I was looked at like I’m just here because I’m hot, and I get that all the time, and I have to constantly look at it like, no, I am not just a Barbie doll looking girl, I have worked hard, and the struggles that I went through when I was younger, I didn’t always look like this. I trained my butt off and competed and got to where I wanted to be from rigorous training and dieting. I didn’t just wake up like this.”

In 2009, John Cena married his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth Huberdeau. However, less than three years later, Cena filed for divorce. Huberdeau told TMZ in 2012 that she felt like she was “blindsided” by the filing. Cena heavily expressed on Total Divas to Nikki Bella that he has no desire to get married, despite Nikki strongly wanting the contrary.

Contrary to Cena’s initial desire, he proposed to Nikki after their mixed tag team victory against The Miz and Maryse at WrestleMania 33, and she accepted. Nikki did admit to People that the wedding planning has been slow due to both her and Cena juggling commitments, and she did not want to rush it.

“I want the day we get married to be special, not like it’s another appearance,” said Nikki. “I don’t want it to be like, ‘We only have two days to do this.’ I want to enjoy it. I want to enjoy it in the weeks going into it, and also the weeks after.”

The topic of children was also off limits to Cena initially, and was another rift in their relationship. On a 2014 episode of Total Divas, Cena emphasized that he did not want to get married or have kids. He asked Nikki if they were to “hypothetically” get married, how she would feel about him still not wanting to have kids. Nikki responded despondently, stating that she did not know what she wanted regarding kids, but did not want to feel rushed to make a decision because Cena does not want to have any.

Cena, however, has seemingly turned his feelings around about having kids. In an interview with Good Morning Britain, Cena revisited the topic of kids, but with a different frame of mind. In his upcoming movie, Blockers, Cena plays a father who is a part of a group mission of stopping their daughters from losing their virginity on prom night. This role inspired Cena to consider having kids.

“Especially in something like [Blockers], because the story is about these parents doing what they think is right to try to protect their children,” said Cena. “But the story is also about being confident as a parent, being confident in your children that you have done well, and they also are doing well. And the bond between parent and child can be a wonderful thing, even through some pretty tough situations. So, it absolutely has made me consider being a parent more.”

As far as being a parent, Cena feels as if he would be the person who thinks he has it all right, “and then, all of a sudden one day, I’m doing it all wrong and I don’t have any idea.”

On a recent episode of the Conversation With The Big Guy podcast, Ryback discussed former WWE Divas Champion Paige likely having to retire from in-ring competition due to a neck injury suffered at a live event in December.

During a tag team match at a live event, Paige fell to the ground after being struck in the back via a double front kick by Sasha Banks. The referee threw the “X” sign, and Paige was unable to finish the match. It was later determined that the injury will force her to stop competing, ending her in-ring career at just 25 years old. Ryback said he’s had a good relationship with Paige and it’s unfortunate that this happened to her.

“She has always been super sweet to me. She is a great girl,” Ryback said. “During a live event, one of the other wrestlers kicked her and gave her a stinger, or what they thought was a stinger, but it alerted them with something else that was going on. She got into wrestling at a young age, she has been wrestling her whole life so it really sucks.”

Since suffering the injury, Paige has not done anything physical on RAW and she has instead played a managerial role for Absolution. The WWE has not confirmed that her in-ring career is over, but the she was pulled from competing in the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble last Sunday. Ryback was reminded of his experiences with injuries, and he said he’s hopeful medical advancements can somehow help her get back into the ring one day.

“For fans listening, wrestlers are human beings and I’ve always said that I have experienced things where I have my career taken away from me at different points and I was very fortunate to have left when I did to of found the issues that I had or else I would have been done,” Ryback said. “You never know with medical advancements 10 years from now that they will find something, but as of right now she is done, and that sucks, but I hope that isn’t true. She is an amazing talent and an amazing person.”

It’s believed that WWE will keep Paige employed in a non-physical role on TV, and perhaps at the WWE Performance Center. Ryback said it would be good if she’s able to remain with the company, but he knows it will be hard on her to admit that her in-ring career is over.

“Hopefully WWE finds something for her in a non-wrestling role, something to keep her busy,” he said. “She is on Total Divas and all that. Mentally it is going to be very tough for her; she has gone through a lot already, but hopefully she can remain optimistic. She comes from a wrestling family so all she knows is wrestling, but I hope she has other interests outside of wrestling that she can latch on to.”

Ahead of tonight’s first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble Match, Nikki and Brie Bella are both backstage at the Royal Rumble event at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, according to PWInsider.

During an episode of Total Divas that aired a few weeks ago (and filmed back in the summer), there was a tease that the twin duo could return to WWE television at this time. There was a scene where Nikki and Brie sat down with WWE Senior Director of Talent Relations Mark Carrano about their future in the company. The result of the conversation was that they would return to WWE for the Royal Rumble and be a part of storylines through WrestleMania 34 in April.

The Bella Twins’ brother JJ was also spotted in Philadelphia, which indicates they’re being filmed for Total Divas as well.

Nikki last wrestled at WrestleMania 33, where she and John Cena beat The Miz and Maryse in a Mixed Tag Team Match. After the match, Cena legitimately proposed to Bella, which she accepted. Two days later, Nikki announced via Instagram that she would be taking time off from wrestling.

Brie last wrestled in April 2016 on the WrestleMania 32 Kickoff, where she pinned Naomi in a 10-Diva Tag Team Match. After giving birth, she has said that she be open to wrestling again.

The Bella Twins were among the female legends honored by WWE last Monday on Raw 25.